Ogando chased in 3rd innings, Cubs defeat Rangers 6-2

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington said he was glad Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field was played.

That was pretty much the only thing he had to be glad about.

Starter Alexi Ogando was chased in the third inning, Texas batters got only four hits and the Rangers lost to the Chicago Cubs 6-2 on a soggy afternoon.

Despite torrential rains that caused citywide floods, the teams were able to play in an occasional drizzle. The Cubs and Texas were rained out Wednesday.

Alfonso Soriano hit his first home run of the season and Anthony Rizzo also homered for the Cubs.

Even with outcome, Washington was OK that the teams played.

"Wish for better results, but I am," Washington said. "It's one game we don't have to play when we return."

Ogando (2-1), however, might have liked the day off.

Before Thursday, Ogando had been 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA in eight career April starts. He had allowed just two earned runs in 16 2-3 innings this season.

Ogando lasted only 2 1-3 innings, giving up five runs on six hits while walking two.

The Texas right-hander said he was slipping on the mound, and had members of the grounds crew try to fix it during the Cubs' four-run third.

"On top of being out of control today, that mound didn't really help at all today," Ogando said.

"It was difficult to command my fastball and that's going to affect all my other pitches," Ogando said. "That's why I had a difficult time today."

Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Ogando "looked a little out of whack."

"And we probably had a little bit to do with that," he said.

starts.

Said Washington: "Just wasn't his day."

The Texas bats also struggled against Carlos Villanueva (1-0).

The solo home runs hit by Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz were Texas' only runs, and the pair combined for all four of the Rangers' hits.

Villanueva pitched seven innings and gave up two runs and four hits while striking out six. Relievers James Russell and Carlos Marmol then pitched a scoreless inning apiece to end the Rangers' 3-3 road trip.

Over the six games, Texas scored 17 runs.

"It's just the way things are going right now. We split the road trip, which isn't bad. It's not what we want to do, it's not where are minds are at. But if we can get back home playing .500 ball on the road we feel good about it," Kinsler said. We only have three games at home, then it's back on the road, so we got to be prepared to play a little better on the road."

NOTES: The Rangers' Lance Berkman didn't appear in either game of the series, but is expected to return to the lineup Friday. ... Yu Darvish is set to start for Texas on Friday night against Seattle's Joe Saunders. ... Russell's father, Jeff, is the Rangers' all-time leader in relief appearances with 406.